The House That Alice Built
by Chris Penhall
B&N / Kobo / GP / Ruby Fiction
Home is where the heart is …
But then a postcard from Buenos Aires turns Alice’s life upside down. One very unsensible decision later and she is in Cascais, Portugal, and so begins her lesson in ‘going with the flow’; a lesson that sees her cat-sitting, paddle boarding, dancing on top of bars and rediscovering her artistic talents.
But perhaps the most important part of the lesson for Alice is that you don’t always need a house to be at home.
Favorite Quotes:
You wouldn’t know nonchalant if it knocked on your door and said hello, I’m nonchalant, whispered the voice in her head.
Bricks and mortar. They can’t protect you from everything, can they? They can protect you from the wind and the rain and the cold, but they can’t protect you from your emotions.
I look like I’ve been living in a cave all my life surviving on a diet of pasties and washing my hair with lard.
My Review:
Poor Alice, she couldn’t seem to climb out of her gloom as it kept coming at her from all sides, including her own inner voice. Her ex-boyfriend, who had left her with debts, was back and wanting to claim half of her home; she had lost her job and her sparkle; and her inner voice was berating her at every turn. Alice’s tale was insightfully written with clever observational humor, a quirky cast of characters, angst, loss of self, a pyramid full of insecurities, lots of waffling and indecision, a blossoming romance, rekindling of old friendships, high anxiety, self-rediscovery, adventures in a foreign land, paddle boarding, pet-sitting, ambling, jewelry making, photography, artistry, home renovation, and an empowering evolution with defiantly vibrant trousers - which I greedily coveted. I frequently alternated between empathy for Alice and wanting to give her a smack to the back of the head, but I was proud of her and for her by the end.
About The Author
Chris Penhall is a freelance writer and radio producer.
Her book, The House That Alice Built, won the Choc-Lit Search for a Star Competition 2019.
Born in South Wales, she has also lived near London and in Portugal, which is where The House That Alice Built is set. It was whilst living in Cascais near Lisbon that she began to dabble in writing fiction, but it was many years later that she was confident enough to start writing her first novel, and many years after that she finally finished it! She is now working on her second.
A lover of books, music, and cats, she is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.
Chris has two grown-up daughters and lives in the Essex countryside.
Chris is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.
www.chrispenhall.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisPenhall
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisPenhallBroadcasterWriter
Chris Penhall is a freelance writer and radio producer.
Her book, The House That Alice Built, won the Choc-Lit Search for a Star Competition 2019.
Born in South Wales, she has also lived near London and in Portugal, which is where The House That Alice Built is set. It was whilst living in Cascais near Lisbon that she began to dabble in writing fiction, but it was many years later that she was confident enough to start writing her first novel, and many years after that she finally finished it! She is now working on her second.
A lover of books, music, and cats, she is also an enthusiastic salsa dancer, a keen cook, and loves to travel. She is never happier than when she is gazing at the sea.
Chris has two grown-up daughters and lives in the Essex countryside.
Chris is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association.
Social Media Links
www.chrispenhall.co.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ChrisPenhall
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChrisPenhallBroadcasterWriter
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